


Seraph

by devo79



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-15
Updated: 2012-04-15
Packaged: 2017-11-03 16:57:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devo79/pseuds/devo79





	Seraph

Alexander turned. He nodded in greeting to the creature slowly walking past the old crumbling gravestones. The grey wingtips touched the grass and the dirt of the graveyard as it moved closer to him.

”Gabriel,” Alexander said.

”Alexander,” the seraph turned slightly to avoid brushing the large wings against the old Thomson’s family mausoleum. The wings made a quiet shushing sound as Gabriel moved over and sat down on one of the larger headstones.

”So I’m here,” Alexander said and waved a hand in front of himself.

”So I see,” Gabriel pulled his grey jacket closer around him.

”I don’t have…” Alexander started.

”You,” Gabriel interrupted ”aren’t following orders as you should.”

”I’ve been doing…” Alexander attempted.

”No,” the seraph shook his head, blond locks falling into his eyes. ”You were given very specific orders, Alexander. I remember. I was there.”

”Things are different when you're working amongst them,” he started pacing ”I can’t just stand by and watch while…”

”But that’s what you do. You watch,” Gabriel pointed at Alexander ”That is what defines you.”

”Gabe,” Alexander sighed and abruptly stopped pacing ”I can’t.”

”You’ll never earn your wings back if you don’t,” Gabriel said softly.

”Why?” he demanded to know.

”You know why,” Gabriel got up and moved over to Alexander ”You failed. But because He is compassionate you were given a second chance.”

”You should never have asked me to watch over her to begin with,” Alexander closed his eyes.

”Father sends us where He knows we will do the most good,” Gabriel touched Alexander's shoulder.

”He knows everything,” Alexander said and pointed a finger at the star riddled dark sky ”He knew I would fail. I knew I couldn’t stand back and watch that little girl die.”

”I never envied you. To guard the soul…” Gabriel smiled sadly ”But not to be allowed to protect the body. Her time had come, Alexander.”

”She was four years old,” Alexander growled ”What had she done to deserve death?”

”Nothing,” the seraph looked up at the stars ”Mortality...You meddled in things you shouldn’t have. You protected her. She survived and the balance…” Gabriel mimed throwing something away ”was out the window. Metaphorically speaking, of course.”

”The real world isn’t a metaphor, Gabriel.” he took the seraph’s hand.

”But it is,” Gabriel squeezed Alexander's hand tightly ”It’s the greatest metaphor of all.”

”If I fail this time…” he let go of Gabriel’s hand, walked over to the mausoleum and let his hand slide over the intricate design of the Thomson name ”If I fail…I won’t be given a new chance…Will I?”

”No,” Gabriel watched Alexander's shoulders slump.

”I don’t think I can do it,” Alexander turned and looked back at the seraph. The wind made the small feathers, soft if he recalled rightly, move a little.

”All you have to do is let it happen,” Gabriel reminded.

”I can’t stand back and let the Hellmouth be opened. I can’t stand back and watch the Slayer fall,” he said firmly.

”Then you fail,” Gabriel said.

”It wouldn’t be the first time,” Alexander sounded wistful.

”No,” Gabriel whispered ”But it will be the last.”

”I stand back. Let the Slayer die and I get my wings back,” he pondered ”Or I fight it with everything I’ve got and…” he looked into Gabriel’s eyes.

”And you fall,” Gabriel finished.

”I fall,” Alexander repeated.

”You become mortal. You grow old and you die,” Gabriel went on.

”You make it sound like a curse,” Alexander crouched down and touched the grass. The starlight made it look like small strands of silver.

”Isn’t it?” Gabriel asked curiously.

”No,” he answered ”It makes them…fight. Makes them strive. When was the last time you did that?”

”What message do you want me to bring back?” Gabriel asked uncomfortably.

Alexander stood up and looked the seraph in the eyes and said ”Alexander is done watching. Xander Harris is going to fight back.”

Gabriel couldn’t hide his smile. ”Didn’t he always?” 

”You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Xander said and walked away.

Gabriel watched him disappear through the gates to the cemetery. A quiet rustling of leaves made the seraph turn and look at the tall dark-haired demon that stepped away from behind one of the tombstones.

”Well. He’s fucking up the plan,” the demon said and walked over to stand next to Gabriel. The grass sizzled under his feet as it burned away.

”He’ll tip the scale, Balthazar.” Gabriel nodded.

”So it’ll be business as usual,” the demon grinned.


End file.
